Join the Fun!

Enlightened_Ghost_ , Krisztina Papp Report

It seems that European countries try to make life easier for their citizens? That's f*****g crazy to us in America.

In Spain and I think other European countries, there is a thing called a Siesta. Shops and businesses shut down in the middle of the day and people can relax and destress from work. In America, work culture is so toxic, people skip breakfast and only get 30 minutes at work to rush through a fast food meal. Crazy.

Public transportation is another one. I noticed how drastically better it is in Europe. People in northern European countries ride bikes, trains, etc. to work. And it all flows smoothly, on time for the most part, and is much more calming to sit in read in what would be considered a luxury train car in America, versus sitting for 40 minutes to an hour in bumper to bumper car traffic, with uglier views, mostly of concrete. It's just better in Europe because it's less car-centric. No traffic jams. People just walk to get groceries calmly in a few minutes. In America, you have to carve out time, and a separate day, because going to run errands is so stressful, from fighting through traffic to crowded spaces, etc. It's just not designed to be a pleasant experience. It's all just consumerism and how to squeeze more money out of people.

Education is another that should go without speaking. I will leave it alone because I could go on forever as a teacher in America, but I believe our citizens still rank near last across all subjects.

Healthcare is another. U.S.A. is the only developed country that does not provide healthcare to its citizens without some wealthy company making a profit first.

Everything about America makes life miserable. No wonder people are suicidal and we have a lot of suicide mass shootings. Most Americans would be shocked if they traveled to Europe and paid attention to how things worked there and how much better life can be by doing things that way.

Idiots will probably comment that America is great because we have freedom. Dumbasses don't realize that people have that in other places too and Americans are being scammed into living suboptimal lives.

Final score:

248points

POST

Daniel Yamada 2 years ago

The US government can't afford to pay for healthcare. It is spending trillions of dollars to lose wars all over the world.

94points

Haunting_Clue9316 , Andreas Pajuvirta Report

"Americans don't know what old is, Europeans don't know what big means"

Final score:

171points

POST

KM 2 years ago

And then there is China)

72points

Forward-Shower-3250 , Colin Howley Report

There are a lot of cultural differences between countries which make us all unique and interesting. For example, in the United States, people tend to be more individualistic, while in collectivist cultures like China, people are more likely to think of themselves as part of a group. This can lead to different expectations and behaviors in different cultures.

For example, in the United States, it is common to see people working long hours and taking work home with them. This individualistic work ethic can lead to a lot of stress and burnout. In collectivist cultures, however, people are more likely to work together and take breaks together. This can lead to a more relaxed and enjoyable work environment.

Of course, these are just generalizations and there are many exceptions to the rule. But understanding these cultural differences can help you to be more understanding and tolerant of people from other cultures.

That you use the metric system.

That it totally makes sense and we don't.

We probably don't use it for spite.

Final score:

167points

POST

Jrog 2 years ago

Then Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, who lived in France for a while, in 1794 pushed to have the metric system implemented in the USA. He commissioned his friend and fellow scientist Joseph Dombey to bring over to the USA a "standard weight" from France, the exact measure of 1 kilogram. Dombey's ship run into a storm and had to rush to the closest port in the Caribbean, but was assaulted by pirates on the way. Dombey was captured and held from ransom, and died in captivity. The original Standard Weight was sold, and came to the possession of the National Institute of Standards and Technology only in the '50s, after it was donated by the heirs of Andrew Ellicott, American Surveyor General and teacher of Lewis and Clarke, who bought it at auction in the early 1800s.

36points

That some stone roads that were built like 600 years ago are holding themselves together better than the paved roads.

CBKritter , Félix Besombes Report

Final score:

160points

POST

Bernd Herbert 2 years ago

The oldest road can be found in Italy. The Via Appia was built around 2300 years ago

58points

Labor rights and public services.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for it. I wish we had all that here. But it's deeply unfamiliar. I have European coworkers who *expect* vacation. We've got a British manager who *expects employees* to take vacation.

S**t is wild.

NoMoreMonkeyBrain , abi ismail Report

Final score:

157points

POST

Iifa A. 2 years ago

As an employee you agreed to give up certain hours per day for agreed payment and benefits. Also the law states the minimum legal holidays. If you or your employer don't take holidays it can cause huge issues legally for the company and the manager of you don't use them by set time and are losing. Employers must ensure that you get 21 days of holidays plus legal bank holidays. And every week only five holiday days can be spent as legally you have two days off. So 21 days is actually 29 days with four weekends and then all public holidays on top. Because of this we are known to use the days to get long weekends to take city trips away 3-4 days. Absolutely love it, I went on holidays every five six weeks and employees are not responsible for covering their shifts. It's a paying job, if it doesn't suit quit, and no work isnt even in top 10 priority list. In USA the title of work and career level is highly valued and therefore you look down on less unfortunate. In EU human is valued

39points

The one and only best way to learn about those cultures and broaden your perspective of things is to visit foreign places and get to know their people. When you travel, you're not just looking at the world from your own eyes, but from the eyes of the people you meet and the places you visit. This makes you an onlooker of a whole different kind; you’re both an active participant and passive viewer who realizes that there exist different ways of doing things.

High quality food at low prices. You can eat great, healthy food for cheap in many European countries. In the US, the healthier, higher quality food is often the most expensive.

adam4little , Brooke Lark Report

Final score:

139points

POST

Sara Rosen 2 years ago (edited)

I think this is true for southern Europe. However, I live in northern Europe where dining out is VERY expensive. The only affordable food you can get is hot dogs, fried fish, and fast-food kebabs. The produce at the grocery stores is fine quality but not any cheaper or better than in the States.

20points

Trains go to every major city

CoolIceCreamCone , Rob Dammers Report

Final score:

132points

POST

Ban-One 2 years ago

...and to most small cities and even villages as well (here in Switzerland)

58points

Charly 2 years ago

NL too. The train on the photo is called a sprinter and is designed for the "shorter" tracks between the villages. Although it easily ride across half the country ;)

2points

Robert T 2 years ago

Except when they are on strike! *eyeroll*

5points

Ki Li 2 years ago

I thought this was normal for America too.

5points

Sara Rosen 2 years ago

...um trains go to every major city in America too. And much of the world really. Trains go to major cities, that's what they do.

2points

The Scout 2 years ago

Nearly every small town too, here in Germany. The U.S. train system is more of a net connecting the big cities, while the european train tracks are designed to be a grid all over the country, giving access to the transport lines even in rural areas. Of course they could be better, and not every small village has a train connection. But the whole concept is different.

2points

Siriusly Sirius 2 years ago

...and you can walk to the store instead of a 30 minute round trip drive for milk and bread...

1point

Maria Mandjik 2 years ago

My ex and I flew to Frankfurt from there we used trains, buses and a river boat to go to Holland, France, Switzerland and back to Germany, glorious vacation.

1point

Daddy’s Girl 9 months ago

Training across Europe was one of my greatest experiences

0points

Andrea Steht 1 year ago

The public transportation system in Germany is awesome! I spent 3 weeks in München in 1999 and have missed it ever since I got home.

0points

Lilith 2 years ago

On top of it most of the public transport is spot on time here in Switzerland.

0points

JayWantsACat 2 years ago

We can't even build a high speed rail system here in California for a variety of reasons, many of which I support. It's just frustrating.

0points

V Taylor 2 years ago

Come- stay- experience first. 😀😃🙂

0points

Richard Smith 2 years ago

Major cities are closer in Europe. America is huge and has a lot of wide open spaces.

0points

Marie 2 years ago

You don’t have trains from city to city ? Why ?

0points

A. 2 years ago

I wanted the experience of taking a train from my city in South Florida to New Orleans, but nope! AMTRAK in the States is so messed up

0points

Emanuelle 2 years ago

Hey that’s Amsterdam!

0points

BoredNow 2 years ago

Think it’s Haarlem, actually

1point

Luke Branwen 2 years ago

Major city? Where I live, there are train stations in places where the population consists of a hundred people and a shoelace xD Even mid-size cities with like 30k inhabitants often have two train stations.

0points

roepi 2 years ago

Having used those exact trains, I can attest that 'trains' and 'go' are often two very seperate concepts that refuse to combine.

0points

JuJu 2 years ago

Public transportation in genera is quite nice here

0points

Gosia Buczek 2 years ago

So, is there no trains in US?

0points

M O'Connell 2 years ago

We used to have a very impressive rail network in the US. The smaller lines fell into disuse and disrepair starting in the late 1920s, and another wave of them in the 1950s. Sadly, a lot of rail infrastructure serving small rural communities and smaller settlements in general was pulled up for scrap in the 1960s and 1970s. The 1920s wave was due to advances in roadbuilding technology to accommodate automobiles and trucks. WWII saw considerable consolidation of manufacturing and its movement toward more urban areas, and advances in agricultural technology reduced the population of the rural workforce to the point where railroads were unable to service far-flung communities profitably. We still have rail service between large urban centers, and the communities those lines pass through, but that's all we have.

0points

It’s crazy that everyone doesn’t drive a huge empty truck 1 mile down the road, instead they walk. Crazy.

Babbles-82 , Dave Collier Report

Final score:

132points

POST

Jrog 2 years ago (edited)

I'd say doing the opposite is crazy, but I guess OP's post was irony.

43points

While traveling, you also learn to understand different points of view. When you're in your own country, you do not normally think about how other people live, but when you travel, you're exposed to different lifestyles with little choice. This will help you to be more understanding and tolerant of others.

Learning about other cultures is also a unique way to learn more about yourself. You find out how you react in a certain situation, how you behave with people you've never met, and how well you can adapt to different surroundings. While in a new culture, you’re much more likely to be pushed out of your comfort zone, which is the most important aspect of your personal growth.

#10

How few fat people there are. It's awesome, but your food culture is different enough to lead to a significant difference in obesity in the general populace

GandalfTheBored , ELEVATE Report

Final score:

122points

POST

ADHORTATOR 2 years ago

Fat people in Europe exist, but I guess we are far far away from the US

41points

#11

that health care thing. i want that

anotherorphan Report

Final score:

120points

POST

Caroline Nagel 2 years ago

As long as far right religious fanatics keep their grip on the Republican party and government nothing will change in the USA.

58points

#12

The fact that you cross international borders like we cross state lines. The fact that you can wake up in Germany, drive all day, and go to sleep in Spain.

Wonderful_Soup4873 , vonMitzscha Report

Final score:

117points

POST

Bernd Herbert 2 years ago

What I liked growing up directly at the border of another country: you learn that borders of countries are pretty arbitrary. That those people across the border are basically the same as you. It’s a pretty continuous transition and you also learn, that you have much more in common with the folk directly next to you, yet in another country, than you have with your fellow countrymen who live hundreds of kilometres away

52points

FabulousPossession73 Report

#13

When I went to Bad Kissingen, Germany I almost fell over. If you get diagnosed with certain aliments your doctor can write a prescription for you to go to the spas—FOR SIX WEEKS. Then once you are there you drink water from the ground that helps you heal! And you bathe in pools that look like Versailles and take leisurely strolls around the grounds to soothe your stomach. And here’s the best part—your employer has to keep paying you while you are there! What the hell kind of a deal is this?!

In America they throw some Robitussin on you, take your pay and tell you to get your a*s back to work!

Germany was the f****n coolest place!

Final score:

111points

POST

JuJu 2 years ago

But we usually have to convince our health insurance company to pay fully for the spa

9points

#14

It’s so weird how civilized y’all are over there (minus that whole Russia-Ukraine thing as of late, but that’s not the Europe I know and have visited.)

But yeah generally you guys have these *crazy ideas* about what constitutes the “good life.”

Jobs that don’t treat you like slaves and work you into an early death; subsidized, single-payer heath care so that you could hypothetically lose your job and not your *health* or *life*; 6 weeks of mandatory paid vacation a year whether you want to go someplace or not; decent, healthy, affordable food; subsidized housing that doesn’t look like a war zone; clean, modern public transportation that alleviates the need to own a vehicle in a lot of places; high-quality education instead of schools that increasing resemble more of those war zones we seem to love (we know better in the US, where the mantra is that violence belongs everywhere); clean water; freedom *from* religion in public policy; public toilets; functional democracy…

Yeah y’all are some *WEIRD* people…

DepartureSpace Report

Final score:

106points

POST

Valter 2 years ago

Freedom *from* religion? Not everywhere. Not in Italy, for instance, neither in Poland.

20points

#15

I'm surprised nobody has said 'the price you see in the shop is actually the price you pay', because as a Brit the idea of taxes not being included in the displayed price is absolutely mind-boggling to me.

Edit: after some good back and forth in several threads I've softened my stance on this - I can see how when the next town might have different tax rules, it would make it easier to tell when you're being ripped off etc. But it still feels weird after 30+ years of just seeing the price you pay.

Swimming_Marsupial , nrd Report

Final score:

94points

POST

Laura Ketteridge 2 years ago

I don't care what the taxes are in the next town over. I want to know the actual cost of the items I am buying.

92points

#16

Otherwise healthy people smoking cigarettes

drilosphere , lilartsy Report

Final score:

92points

POST

Bored Retsuko 2 years ago

Friendly reminder: downvotes are NOT dislike buttons. Downvoting a comment just because you don't agree = not cool. If a comment gets downvoted, its author will get banned from the site. So please downvote only in case of obvious spam ("how to make cash") or if someone is literally harassing a fellow panda

69points

Necessary_Sir_5079 , Cecilia Rodríguez Suárez Report

#17

The history. Can't wrap my brain around that. I live in a farm house built in the 1920s and that is considered old.

Final score:

91points

POST

$fracarr avatar$

François Carré 2 years ago

Then again, get over the idea that your country is young. These 250 years are only the last (and maybe not the most interesting, after all) chapter of the book. A lot of stuff happened before, it's just that History written by the conquerors pretends there was nothing worthy of interest. Make an effort of imagination and try to figure out how people used to live where your 1920 farm house is now, like 1000 years ago. Of course their life was very different, and kind of left no trace. But if not for the brutal conquest they had to endure, this way of life was probably much more sustainable than the one we have now, and we'd better pick some ideas from them about how to change. In the end, they were doing quite the right thing.

12points

#18

All those damn trains, public transit, and walkable cities. I like being stuck in my gas guzzler and nearly dying anytime I use a sidewalk.

Arcinbiblo12 , ANTONI SHKRABA Report

Final score:

86points

POST

Armağan Altun 2 years ago

istanbul - taksim <3

11points

#19

As a European, I can tell you that the cultures, customs, languages, weather, food, and everything else can vary as drastically from country to country as it does from America.

I live in Ireland, and pretty much any other EU country is pretty alien to me. And they probably think Ireland is weird af too.

SirTheadore Report

Final score:

69points

POST

Dani M 2 years ago

I think a lot of contintentals actually have a romantic view of Ireland. But the country is beautiful and the people friendly, so take us on as tourists ;)

22points

#20

alot of people use public transport, like the kids, teenagers, old people .etc use the bus and train so commonly, in america basically everyone has a car or gets driven by a car

smookyhead16 , Mitchell Johnson Report

Final score:

64points

POST

Laura Ketteridge 2 years ago

Public transport is for the public. The public uses it.

52points

#21

You have to pay to use public restrooms

jonathan92o , hiroo yamagata Report

Final score:

61points

POST

OneHappyPuppy 2 years ago

The money goes for cleaning the place, yup I'd rather pay to go than go to a literal sh*thole

92points

#22

If you’re talking about a whole continent, there’s bound to be some weird things about it, and that also means that people from certain European countries will find other European countries weird in certain ways.

Like I’m British, and I find the French incredibly weird.

snowitbetter Report

Final score:

58points

POST

ADHORTATOR 2 years ago

Je ne vais pas écrire ce qu' on pense des Rosbifs :-)

49points

#23

Well, you can walk into a movie theater in Amsterdam and buy a beer. And I don't mean just like in no paper cup, I'm talking about a glass of beer.

And in Paris, you can buy a beer at McDonald's. And you know what they call a Quarter Pounder with Cheese in Paris?
They got the metric system. They wouldn't know what the f**k a Quarter Pounder is. They call it a "Royale with Cheese."
A Big Mac's a Big Mac, but they call it "Le Big Mac". What do they call a Whopper? I dunno, I didn't go into Burger King.

But, you know what they put on French fries in Holland instead of ketchup? Mayonnaise. God damn! I seen them do it, man, they f*****g drown them in that s**t.

Ghostofbillhicks , Tavallai Report

Final score:

53points

POST

ADHORTATOR 2 years ago

Vincent, we know this, you tell us that all the time....

56points

#24

FUNCTIONING PUBLIC TRANSIT

I thought it would be horrible needing to wait and wait and wait only for a crowded and smelly bus or train to take me somewhere only for it to arrive on time, relatively sanitary, and in cities or towns of less then 8,000 people. In the U.S. a city will have well over a million people and lack any metro line, period. Just a bus that’s always late and comes one every hour and a half

Asone2004 Report

Final score:

53points

POST

Mr Red 2 years ago (edited)

Y'all should stop calling socialism communism and stop voting for republicans.

69points

#25

The beauty of their cities

wiggleswiggles-_- Report

Final score:

47points

POST

Pixie 2 years ago

That depends. I love my city, it has a lot of charme and character, but beautiful it is not.

9points

#26

Maybe things are different now, but everything is completely closed on Sundays if you’re not in a major city.

Natures-Umami , Zhanjiang Chen Report

Final score:

45points

POST

Bernd Herbert 2 years ago

Still a thing in Germany. Except restaurants and cafes

26points

#27

The oddest thing I found in Copenhagen was that when we tried to go get food around 9pm, nearly everywhere was closed. We were in a busy part of the city but it took us so incredibly long to find a place open late. I don't live in a huge city but I can throw a rock from my house and it will bounce off half a dozen places open until midnight or later.

Edit: This is not a complaint, just an observation. I loved Denmark.

Ginger_Chick , Tim Mossholder Report

Final score:

42points

POST

Robert T 2 years ago

Just picking a couple of restaurants I know in the city centre, one is open till 11PM every day, and another is open till 10 or 10:30PM depending on the day of the week. I used to go to Friday Rock at Tivoli, which doesn't start till 10PM, and would go and eat somewhere first. So methinks the OP must've been on a public holiday.

3points

Dutch Swimmer Goes Viral For Super Revealing Trunks During 2024 Olympics: “Is This Legal?”

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Thrill-Seeking Diver Jumps Down Extreme Waterslide, Ignoring The Strict Ban For Women

#28

I’m not sure if it’s wired but it’s fascinating how so many cultures and languages came to exist over such a (comparatively) small continent as Europe.

heardbutnotseen2 , Alexis Brown Report

Final score:

40points

POST

OneHappyPuppy 2 years ago

This doesn't make sense. Don't americans know their own history? That they came to be from 2-3 colonizers from Europe? While there were a sh*tton of tribes in Europe who all had their own culture and language?

52points

#29

No ac. Our hotels had ac but it was just room temp air. That heatwave must have been brutal i hate sleeping when it’s hot

Slowmexicano , Ivan Radic Report

Final score:

39points

POST

Bernd Herbert 2 years ago

The US could probasave a couple of power plants without their excessive use of ACs….and ice cubes

22points

#30

This question has taught me that Americans don't know anything about any country in Europe and think it's all the same place without any nuance.

Blackout_Underway Report

Final score:

36points

POST

Cashme Outside 2 years ago

Is Europe that place with the pointy boot country or the big frozen area on the bottom of the map? /s

17points

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#31

OMG the toilets. In the US every toilet I've ever come across has a flush lever on the left of the tank or (in public restrooms) a sensor or a button on the top. In Europe every single toilet has a different flush mechanism. Every. Single. One. It's like an escape room challenge. Foot pedals. Cranks. Pull knobs. Things attached to the sink. I was once stuck in a bathroom for 20 minutes trying to figure out how to flush the toilet, it turned out to be a pulley on the other side of the room.

Yellowbug2001 , dirtyboxface Report

Final score:

17points

POST

Bernd Herbert 2 years ago

That is a blatant exaggeration

32points

Woman Put A Water Fountain With A Camera In Her Yard, Here Are 24 Photos Of Regular Visitors (New Pics)

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“Ma’am I Live Here”: Woman Refuses To Back Out Of Driveway, Learns A Lesson The Hard Way

#32

The way people drive. The laws don’t seem to matter at all in Italy, only a little in France- then the Germans are a completely different story

jesusmansuperpowers Report

Final score:

16points

POST

ADHORTATOR 2 years ago

I have spent many thousend kilometers on the road all over Europe and I cannot confirm. The worst place is neither France, Italy or Spain - it is Germany, the famous Autobahn is a jungle. The best drivers I' ve met where the Jordanians (no joke)

2points

#33

Not weird but great. Maternity leave. When my sister-in-law in Ukraine gave birth to her daughter, she got a year off at 100% pay and could stay on leave for up to 3 years at half-pay. Meanwhile, businesses are able to hire a temp worker for that time, and it’s perfectly normal. Meanwhile, my wife here only got 6 weeks, and it was for medical recovery. Although someone else misread the company rules and got an inexperienced HR person to approve 6 months of paid maternity leave. By the time they figured it out, 5 months had passed. When they said she had to get back to work, she told them it was their screw-up and she didn’t have daycare lined up. So they kept paying her for the rest of that time… Then she found a better job

ChronoLegion2 Report

Final score:

16points

POST

Karol Chęciński 2 years ago

Can be radically different in other countries. In Switzerland maternity leave is 14 weeks.

2points

50 Of The Most Incredible Shots That Were Submitted To The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards

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French Diver’s “Jewels” In Tight Swimming Trunks Become Talk Of The Town At Olympics

#34

## Rental apartments in Germany often come without a furnished kitchen.

Edit: I'm stunned and amused how much attention this has gotten.

There's been some confusion by my use of "furnished", which is kind of vague. I meant sink, refrigerator, stove and cabinets. Because these are almost always provided in rental apartments in the US, it was shocking to me as an American looking at rentals in Germany that I would have to buy and install those things.

Having read so many interesting comments about kitchen expectations in different parts of the world, let me ask this question. Do any of you know of places where rentals don't come with bathroom equipment either, and it's expected the tenant will purchase and install their own toilet and sink?

AmbitiousPeanut Report

Final score:

14points

POST

Bernd Herbert 2 years ago

No, in Germany I’m pretty sure that a sink and a toilet is mandatory. The kitchen though I’m not sure about. Anyhow, usually if you install a kitchen you may demand money for it fron the next tenant when you move out. That’s pretty much common practice

6points

#35

Currently a Canadian in Croatia (first time in Europe) I can’t get over how old everything is and the lifestyle is so different here, speed limits, food, selling alcohol in grocery stores just like juice, very strange.

Camadian- , Constantine S Report

Final score:

14points

POST

Robert T 2 years ago

And we used to think it was weird when they closed of the alcohol aisle of the supermarket as certain times of day!

3points

Woman Moves Out Of Parents' Home After They Asked Her To Give Her Space To Brother, They Freak Out

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Mom Leaves $250k Inheritance To Son, Throws A Fit When Daughter Stops Looking After Her

#36

I don't know if this applies everywhere in Europe, but the lack of window screens in French homes was an adjustment for me. Every evening was a decision between leaving the windows open and being constantly harassed by flies and mosquitoes or closing them and suffocating in hot, stuffy air. I get that they're not aesthetically attractive, but I'm more than happy to accept that tradeoff if it means I can breathe fresh air without bugs landing on me every 30 seconds.

Adorable-Breakfast , Darrin Henein Report

Final score:

12points

POST

Nadine Debard 2 years ago

I can confirm. We use tons of mosquitos repellants, that's not quite eco-friendly.

7points

InjectAdrenochrome Report

#37

Not American, but Canadian.

How close everything is.

Went to Germany recently and was looking st thr map figuring things out.

I can drive for a whole day without stopping and sti be in Ontario, in that same time I woukd of crossed numerous countries.

Thanato26 , Nick Seagrave Report

Final score:

11points

POST

FactcheckerGeneral 2 years ago

Would *have*

4points

#38

How much pda there is and how common smoking cigarettes is

Final score:

11points

POST

Bernd Herbert 2 years ago

Cigarettes…it’s the declining though. But the farther South you go the more people are smoking

2points

Woman Refuses To Chip In For Babysitting Because She Doesn’t Even Have Kids, Asks If She’s A Jerk

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“This Breaks My Heart”: People Stunned—And Angry—After Woman Buys Lost Luggage From Airport

#39

All of the vehicles are small. Even the trucks seem smaller.

brmado Report

Final score:

9points

POST

Bill Evs 2 years ago (edited)

There is a practical reason for that though. A lot of the roads in European countries predate the motor car by hundreds, sometimes thousands, of years. They can be extremely narrow and windy with crazy gradients in some cases. Smaller cars are simply easier to maneuver around them. A large American pick up (for example) would struggle to even be able to fit down some of the roads near me. That's not to say large vehicles don't exist over here (saw a Humvee just the other day) its just they're not so ubiquitous as they are in the US. Plus petrol tends to be more expensive here so cost is another factor.

14points

HowardHouseWrestling Report

#40

Depends which countries. I’ve always found it weird that a lot of them think hugging is more intimate than kissing someone on the cheek.

Edit: I know it isn’t actually “kissing” someone on the cheek most of the time. I’m referring to how someone touches your face with their face that is extremely intimate.

LadyValenciaLA Report

Final score:

8points

POST

#41

How OLD everything is. Old buildings, cars that look old but are probably brand new. Houses in England being directly connected to each other, no space in between. Madness!

Final score:

7points

POST

David Fox 2 years ago

I love my terraced house and quaint yard garden full of veg with my Allotment down the road

4points

#42

Either paying for the bathroom or not refrigerating your eggs

ableseacat14 Report

Final score:

7points

POST

Laura Ketteridge 2 years ago

We don't need to refrigerate our eggs because we don't wash off the protective coating on them. ;o) Paying for the loo means the loos are kept clean.

28points

"I Didn't Start The Dryer": Karen Gets Taught A Lesson After Throwing Out Neighbor's Wet Clothes

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#43

I'm a little surprised that after so much movement of peoples over thousands of years, there hasn't been a greater homogenization of languages in Europe.

boulomai_mathein , Christian Lue Report

Final score:

7points

POST

Bored Person 2 years ago

If you closely look at many European languages, you can see the similarities such as grammar and similar sounding words and how they combine to make other languages like english

19points

#44

Vacation/Holiday. Yeah we don't get any of that.

dionthorn Report

Final score:

7points

POST

Cashme Outside 2 years ago

Oddly enough, the military in the US, which you’d think is an oppressive work place, and it can be, has some of the closest benefits to European standards. 30 days paid vacation, free medical, free college while in, plus paid college afterwards, good retirement/disabiity benefits etc. I bring this up because if it can work for the military here, it should be able to be implemented across the board. No idea why our country is so backwards about this stuff.

6points

#45

How the cities just end. Like one block, you're in the middle of everything, skyscrapers etc, and the next block it's woods

10thmtnarty Report

Final score:

6points

POST

Laura Ketteridge 2 years ago

I wonder which cities the person is thinking of. I don't know of any European cities that match this description. To me, this describes quite a number of American cities.

11points

#46

Guys, how did so many of you miss that Russia never stopped being crazy. What the hell, man. Thank God the easterners kept their wits about them.

FourStudents , Markus Spiske Report

Final score:

5points

POST

les 2 years ago

american guys, we did notice russians were still crazy, it was obvious when they got chump in the whitehouse and you guys are still fighting over that. we also knew they were still crazy when they supported fartrage in the brexit campaign. and fartrage is chumps friend.

19points

#47

i dont mean this in a bad way but how close together everything is, a small roadtrip to yall is probably a good 30 minute drive but you can drive for 5 hours straight in my home state (Texas) and barely make any progress.

Leeus123 Report

Final score:

3points

POST

ADHORTATOR 2 years ago

When I drive 3 hours, I' ve been in four countries

12points

“All Three Shot Out Pink”: Triplets' Baby Shower Turns Sour, Pregnant Wife Wants A Divorce

See Also on Bored Panda

College Student Does Exactly As Told After Roommates Demand They Keep Their Stuff In Their Room

#48

That as opposed to nationalism Europeans are, how football can turn into WWIII is beyond me. Pick your champions and we'll put them up against our Eagles NFL fans.

maztow Report

Final score:

3points

POST

Al Connor 2 years ago

hahaha they cant even play without padding and helmets, do me a favour and look up Irish GAA there's a good lad :P

11points

#49

Whenever my wife tried to pay for things in Italy the Italian dudes all lost their minds. One guy even said, “check is for man!” We thought it was hilarious so I had her pay everywhere lol

DickRiculous , Alisa Anton Report

Final score:

3points

POST

Bored Retsuko 2 years ago

Yeah... no. Not likely and not common.

26points

#50

Airports constructed in an IKEA-style maze taking you through *all* the duty-free shopping areas before reaching any gates.

Big airports like Heathrow, Frankfurt or Copenhagen don’t do this, but the more touristy airports like Ibiza and Malta sure do. After clearing security in Malta I had to meander a W-shaped path through all the obnoxiously-decored shops selling makeup, liquor, suitcases, clothes, and knickknacks on both sides of the main aisle before I could reach any of the gates. I had a 6.05 flight, so I was doing this while sleep-deprived at about 05.15.

American airports are never constructed/remodeled like this. Sure there are meandering paths sometimes, but like a shopping mall there will always be a clear divide between the walking spaces and the shops, as opposed to the captive exit-through-the-gift-shop experience.

Mcoov Report

Final score:

2points

POST

Sian E 2 years ago

Copenhagen does have a duty free shop right after the security area, that you have to walk through to reach the rest of the terminal shops and restaurants. Source: I was there on Monday morning.

3points

#51

In Italy 3/4 of the toilets we’ve encountered don’t have seats. The women (and men who sit) apparently just sit directly on the porcelain bowl.

I’ve encountered several hotels where you book a double room and turns out the bed is just two twin beds pushed together? Because that’s what I wanted a bed I’m not allowed to sleep towards the middle of….

Currywurst is just like a bland sausage with bad ketchup and curry powder. Thought it would be tastier given how popular it is but man that’s the lamest popular street food I think I’ve ever tried. Still ate it lol

Fridges where “cold” beer and water are stored are never sufficiently cold. Every drink tastes like you put a warm beer in the fridge for 10 mins before taking out to drink.

Khayembii Report

Final score:

-6points

POST

ADJ 2 years ago

About fridges - that is why you should always take the drink you want from back of the fridge, not the front row. When restocking items are usually placed in front, so the can of beer you just took from fridge could be there exactly as you said - 10 minutes.

7points

Liucija Adomaite is a creative mind with years of experience in copywriting. She has a dynamic set of experiences from advertising, academia, and journalism. This time, she has set out on a journey to investigate the ways in which we communicate ideas on a large scale. Her current mission is to find a magic formula for how to make ideas, news, and other such things spread like a virus.

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I'm a visual editor here at Bored Panda and I enjoy a good laugh. My work ranges from serious topics related to toxic work environments and relationship difficulties to humorous articles about online shopping fails and introvert memes. When I'm not at my work desk, checking if every single pixel is in the right place, I usually spend my free time playing board games, taking pictures, and watching documentaries

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What do you think ?

POST

Powerful Katrinka 2 years ago

This again. Every week, like clockwork. Some topics really, really, really need to be retired.

23points

Blarrg 2 years ago

"What do you have for new post?" "Uh, I thought I would run a USA sucks topic." "Dude, that's been done to death, like, 5 times this month." "Yeah, but this time I thought I would list cool things about Europe and say they are things that Americans are shocked by." "Brilliant."

9points

maswartz 2 years ago

We freaking GET IT! BP hates America!

14points

FactcheckerGeneral 2 years ago (edited)

Hang around and b!tch about it, that'll help.

0points

Circa 2 years ago

This topic come up about once a week on BP. Same with funny signs and bad architecture.

13points

maswartz 2 years ago

And it stopped being "funny" months ago.

8points

tuzdayschild 2 years ago

What astonishes me is the sweeping generalizations Europeans make about us. As if they truly believe we are the same. It easiest I guess.

9points

General Anaesthesia 2 years ago

By "us" you mean the US? Getting generalized by Americans "all the time" does not astonish "Europeans". As if Americans truly believe Europeans are all the same. Europe is a continent, not a country. The US is a country, not a continent.

3points

Tye Williams 2 years ago

Ain't "weird." It's just different and that's alright with this American. Traveling is supposed to be fun and educational.

7points

Den Ver 2 years ago (edited)

Oh BP, don’t be timid. This wasn’t, ‘Weird/Unusual Things About Europe’. It should have been labeled, “Reasons Why Europe Is Better Than America”. There are many reasons Europe is better than the US ... . . . just be honest about the title -- instead of being sneaky. : . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #1 Shear Grasp of Language ... ... #2 Euro Nations Try To Make Life Better For Citizens (Transportation, Education, Health Care) Everything about America makes life miserable. No wonder people are suicidal ... ... #3 Labor Rights ... ... #4 Use Of The Metric System ... ... #5 Stone Roads ... ... #6 Europeans Know What Old Is ... ... #7 Trains ... ... ... ... ... ... #8 High Quality Food at Low Prices ... ... #9 Europeans Walk ... ... #10 How Few Fat Europeans There Are ... #11 International Borders Crossed Like State Lines ... ... #12 The “Good Life.” ... ... #13 Health Care ... ... ... #14 Doctors Can Prescribe Spa Treatment ... ... #16 History: Things Are Really Old ... ... #17 Price On Items Reflect Total Price ... ... #18 Public Transit, Walkable Cities ... ... #19 Acknowledging: Regions Are Different in Both Europe and America ... ... #20 Europeans Use Public Transport, Americans Drive Cars ... ... ... ... ... #23 Beauty Of The Cities ... ... #24 Public Transit ... ... #27 Americans Think Different Countries in Europe Are All The Same ... ... #30 Europeans Use Less Air Conditioning (commenters suggest they are just tougher) ...

5points

Leo Domitrix 2 years ago

Ironically, some of these apply to places in the US ----- who owns a car in NYC? They walk or use mass transit. Many states allow the sale of alcohol in convenience stores and grocery stores. Et cetera. So ... I think some Americans need to realize America is wildly varied, too, and European nations vary within their borders (Bavaria within Germany is like our Texas according to a German friend; Scotland vs England, tho' both are in the UK; etc.)

5points

Ki Li 2 years ago

Yes exactly! The United States and Europe are almost the same size. Going from state to state is like traveling to different European countries sometimes. Obv not as much differences but there are plenty. NY culture is way different from the culture in Utah.

1point

Rachael Sampson 2 years ago

Bored Panda why do you constantly like to talk about the U.S. I'm American and even I'm annoyed by it. There are other countries out there besides the US. Talk about something else.

4points

Rannveig Ess 2 years ago (edited)

Here I thought finally I'd read some funny weird things about Europe but it's yet another Bash America and American's article . I'm not native American, BP, and I'm way past tired of this US and America hostility.

2points

Yudy Carolina Daza Caro 2 years ago

Europe is different in each place but the things that I always have admired is the health system and the lack of toxic work culture

0points

Schoki 123 2 years ago

I think the one about europe developing so many cultures in a small space is because these cultures developed before industrialisation. The world was a lot bigger back when travelling from Berlin to Paris took multiple weeks

0points

Tara B 2 years ago

No way....another America shaming article? BP needs new writers who aren't empty headed commies

0points

Nadine 2 years ago

It seems that European generally know how to properly balance life and work. I was in Paris in august and loved how almost everywhere you had pieces of paper stuck on windows with: we are away on vacation. Kudos to them. I hope the rest of the world learns that and not the other way around. Where I live, it's work work work.

0points

Jef Bateman 2 years ago

The thing that surprised me in France is how close people walk. If you are in a store, people just brush up against you, push you a little, lean against you, etc. If I walk through a crowded mall here, people will run into the wall to avoid getting within a foot of somebody. Maybe COVID has changed French proximity? I don't know - I hope to go back again some day to find out! (PS - I love France. I so much did not want to get back on the plane. I had a shirt that I didn't wash for a few months because the smell of the country still lingered on it.)

0points

Lara M 2 years ago

Ah yes - "Europe is great and there's nothing wrong with it whatsoever!"

-1point

FactcheckerGeneral 2 years ago

No AC? Everything shut on Sundays? Cigarettes everywhere? The French? Did you read the list or was that taking too up too much of your valuable whining time?

2points

SerumSeven 2 years ago

I'm old, and broken, and useless, but I'm still holding out hope that someone over there will adopt me.

-1point

AspieGirl88 2 years ago

Well, we tend to find it weird that America uses Fahrenheit instead of Celsius (the latter of which is in fact used more around the world), so I’d say that likely makes us even! 😂

-2points

Den Ver 2 years ago (edited)

It looks like you read the VERY misleading title, then commented without reading any of the 30 posts. The posts were Not about, "Things Americans Find Very Weird About Europe"! - - Instead, they were all, "Reasons Europe is Better Than America"

5points

POST

Powerful Katrinka 2 years ago

This again. Every week, like clockwork. Some topics really, really, really need to be retired.

23points

Blarrg 2 years ago

9points

maswartz 2 years ago

We freaking GET IT! BP hates America!

14points

FactcheckerGeneral 2 years ago (edited)

Hang around and b!tch about it, that'll help.

0points

Circa 2 years ago

This topic come up about once a week on BP. Same with funny signs and bad architecture.

13points

maswartz 2 years ago

And it stopped being "funny" months ago.

8points

tuzdayschild 2 years ago

What astonishes me is the sweeping generalizations Europeans make about us. As if they truly believe we are the same. It easiest I guess.

9points

General Anaesthesia 2 years ago

3points

Tye Williams 2 years ago

Ain't "weird." It's just different and that's alright with this American. Traveling is supposed to be fun and educational.

7points

Den Ver 2 years ago (edited)

5points

Leo Domitrix 2 years ago

5points

Ki Li 2 years ago

1point

Rachael Sampson 2 years ago

Bored Panda why do you constantly like to talk about the U.S. I'm American and even I'm annoyed by it. There are other countries out there besides the US. Talk about something else.

4points

Rannveig Ess 2 years ago (edited)

2points

Yudy Carolina Daza Caro 2 years ago

Europe is different in each place but the things that I always have admired is the health system and the lack of toxic work culture

0points

Schoki 123 2 years ago

0points

Tara B 2 years ago

No way....another America shaming article? BP needs new writers who aren't empty headed commies

0points

Nadine 2 years ago

0points

Jef Bateman 2 years ago

0points

Lara M 2 years ago

Ah yes - "Europe is great and there's nothing wrong with it whatsoever!"

-1point

FactcheckerGeneral 2 years ago

No AC? Everything shut on Sundays? Cigarettes everywhere? The French? Did you read the list or was that taking too up too much of your valuable whining time?

2points

SerumSeven 2 years ago

I'm old, and broken, and useless, but I'm still holding out hope that someone over there will adopt me.

-1point

AspieGirl88 2 years ago

Well, we tend to find it weird that America uses Fahrenheit instead of Celsius (the latter of which is in fact used more around the world), so I’d say that likely makes us even! 😂

-2points

Den Ver 2 years ago (edited)

5points